In between attending parades and parities, Carmela begins asking questions around town and begins to see suspects with a variety of motives around every corner. She is also facing her own dilemma when she realizes the lease for her shop may not be as locked in as she thought, another thing she can blame on Shamus. With more than enough on her mind, Carmela, still loyal to her ex, tries to uncover a killer before the Pluvius Queen is crowned and before she finds it in her heart to give Shamus another look.

Keepsake Crimes is the first of a new series that incorporates one of the fastest growing hobbies in America: scrapbooking. New Orleans, with its rich and colorful history and the razzle-dazzle of Mardi Gras, becomes a perfect setting in which to preserve old memories and to make new ones.

Carmela is an engaging new heroine who has a strong sense of her historical surroundings and yet keeps her feet firmly planted in the present. She has a group of friends she can depend on, yet is very self-reliant and independent. She is learning to accept the fact that Shamus is no longer in her life as her husband and protector, though he seems to keep appearing. And she is not completely sure she wants him out of her life entirely.

The mystery is well laid out with plenty of suspects and red herrings. Careful reading and attention to subtle clues will lead in the right direction. Complete with scrapbooking tips and recipes and a spunky heroine, Keepsake Crimes is the start to a series that should quickly become as popular as the current scrapbooking craze.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry